The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-07-22
PULLING HEMP.
The Experience OF . Man Who Knows
What 1t IL To BE Hanged.


"You may talk about mad elephants
let loose. and circus tigers on the ram
page, said a man from Western Michi-
gan the other day, but they are no
comparison TO a crowd OF angry and ex-
cited men hungering for your death.
-Four years ago j came into posses
sion of three or four pieces of property
In Southern Indiana, and I went down
to look them over. At Jasper / con-
cluded to get q saddle horse.
lone morning, almost before anybody
In the town was astr, and while was
taking before-breakfast walk, q stranger
came along astride of a fine animal, and
to my query as to whether he wanted to
sell he returned q ready affirmative.
1t was q sorrel horse. spotted with
white, and one to be recognized and
identified on sight by any one who had
ever seen him before. The price asked
was S125, and though 1, beat the man
down TO 800 he told such a straight
story that l could have no suspicious of
him.
"He claimed to be resident of VIM
cennes, and to have purchased the horse
IN New Albany.
81 was congratulated by the villagers
on my purchase. and soon after break
fast set of for the South.
After proceeding about ten miles,
turned TO the left. and had gone about
three miles when q band of horsemen,
about dozen strOn1. came RI ing from
the opposite direction al a gallop. The
instant we met they surrounded me.
Some had revolvers and some guns, and
! was menaced on all Sides
Il was astonlshed. of course, half be-
lieving 1 had fallen In with a band Of
robbers, but they quickly gave me to
understand 10 the contrary. The horse
under me had been stolen The previous
n. af a-.rlE hour i'm ha
ing, and the owner was among those
who surrounded me.
"It didn't strike me that I looked
like q horse thief, but those men were
mad and excited, aud they had me out
OF the saddle in . minute OF course /
protested, telling them who / was and
where l could be identified, but as they
hustled me under q Tree and began to
nose rope the owner Of the nag
slap ed me across the face and replied
Shut up, You are the scoundreI
and denials will be Of no avail Well
choke the breath out OF you In about
half q minuter
They were going to hang an inno-
cent man, and you can wager that did
some Of the most vigorous kicking OF my
life.
while they were noosing me and
running tiIr. free end over limb. kept
up my chin music, and one OF the crowd
became A.llf convinced that Was telling
the truth. He began to argue that 1t
woul,. take long 10 prove or disproye
my story, but he was too late
Five or six men walked of with the
rope and up l went. They let me hang
for ii few econds aud then lowered me,
but only 10 repeat the dose twice more.
BY that time they had cooled OF a bit,
an my friend pers uaded them that they
could just as well finish the hanging at
Jasper.
81 had tainted dead away, and when
they poured whiskey down my throat
and revived me it seemed as il my neck
was o feet long. There was Il deal of
growing over the job lot b ing finished
then and there, but they finally put me
on hoRse and started for Jaspe-.
"The chap of whom ! had purchased
the animal, and who Was, of course. the
real thief, was elated over the sale
that he forgot himself and renal ed in
Jasper to get drunk. He WAS speedily
found in q saloon, and he made no pre-
tense OF innocence.
II thought they would tear him to
pieces then and there. but after beating
him to q state of insensibility he was
carried OF into the country q couple of
milss and left hanging beside the high
way.
"I got back $50 of my money, and as
it was handed to me by the leader, he
said:
Stranger, we beg pardon for stretch
ing your neck. but next time you buy
hoss in this State be leetle careful to
buy Of the real owner. = Detroit Free
Press.